War history in braille (Word)



War: Non-Fiction

Braille - Grade 2. Compiled: 2007.

The titles in this booklist are just a selection of the titles available for loan from the RNIB National Library Service braille collection.

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British military greats. 2004. 3v.

Experts and enthusiasts in the field of military history and culture examine 40 military figures, events and wartime objects that shaped and inspired Britain's politics, social activity and even entertainment. Pioneering leaders like Alfred the Great and Boadicea sit alongside the spectacular bravery of the Spanish Armada's defeat and the Charge of the Light Brigade, and the pride and motivation given to soldiers by figures such as Lawrence of Arabia and Winston Churchill.

Adie, Kate.

Corsets to camouflage: women and war. 2004. Coming soon.

Uniform is universally seen as both a stamp of authority and of official acceptance. But the sight of a woman in military uniform still provokes controversy. Although more women are now taking prominent roles in combat, the status implied by uniform is often regarded as contrary to the general perception of womanhood. In association with the Imperial War Museum, this is the first book to look at the image of uniformed women, both in conflict and in civilian roles throughout the twentieth century.

Adie, Kate.

The kindness of strangers: the autobiography. 2002. 9v.

Kate Adie has courageously reported from all over the world since she joined the BBC in 1969. These memoirs encompass her reporting from, the siege at the Iranian embassy which shot her to public acclaim, to an alarming encounter with a drunken Libyan army commander who shot her at point-blank range, the chaos and mayhem of desert warfare to Gracie Field's bizarre funeral, Northern Ireland and Tiananmen Square.

Adkins, Roy and Adkins, Lesley.

The war for all the oceans: from Nelson at the Nile to Napoleon at Waterloo. 2006. 13v.

Brought vividly to life by the words and stories of people caught up in the conflict, this is a sweeping history of the years of naval warfare that set the balance of power in Europe for the following century. Encompassing gallant duels between single ships, bloody battles between huge fleets, daring coastal raids, amphibious assaults on naval bases and the subtleties of espionage and naval intelligence, this global conflict was the war for all the oceans.

Aharoni, Zvi.

Operation Eichmann: the truth about the pursuit, capture and trial. 1998. 5v. UK Loan only.

Written by the Israeli Mossad agent who was involved in the capture of Adolf Eichmann, this book tells the story of how he went to South America, tracked down the former German officer, captured and interrogated him, and was present throughout Eichmann's trial. This is the English translation. This is the inside story of history's most notorious manhunt, told by its chief protagonist. Aharoni traced Eichmann to his hideout in Argentina, and with others, plotted to capture Eichmann and smuggle him out to Israel to face trail. Eichmann was found guilty of instigating the killing of millions of Jews, and went calmly to his death in 1962. He showed no remorse: he had been "obeying orders".

Asbridge, Thomas S.

The first crusade: a new history. 2004. 9v. UK Loan only.

Nine hundred years ago Western Europe was ignited by a call to Holy War. Tens of thousands of Christians left their homes to recapture the city of Jerusalem from Islam. For four years these First Crusaders endured shattering exhaustion, deadly disease, wretched starvation and bloodthirsty battle on the road to the Holy Land. Stricken by thirst in the blistering summer heat, some resorted to drinking horses' blood; others, destitute in mid-winter, turned to cannibalism. Only a fraction survived the journey.

Barbary, James.

Puritan & cavalier: the English civil war. 1977. 3v. UK Loan only.

The author has written an account of the military events of the English Civil War during the years 1642-1649, setting them firmly in the context of the political background of the war but to appeal directly to the reader's imagination with his vivid presentations of the battles and sieges, and to stimulate interest in the human aspect, often overlooked in history books.

Beevor, Antony.

The Spanish Civil War. 2001. 9v.

The author describes in detail the major events of the Spanish Civil War, from the coup d'etat in the summer of 1936 to the final defeat of the Republicans in 1939. He traces the roots of the war, the course of the fighting, and each of the key campaigns and battles. He also unravels the complex of different factions who fought, each with their separate ideologies, and describes the self-interested motives which brought foreign powers into what was to become one of the most bitterly fought wars of modern times.

Bell, Martin.

Through gates of fire: a journey into world disorder. 2003. 3v.

Martin Bell uses his personal experiences as a reporter of eleven wars, and independent MP, to write an impassioned, heartfelt and coruscating call to arms. The three central themes are the way in which war, politics and journalism have changed beyond all recognition in the past thirty years. As Kofi Annan said, we have entered the 21st century 'through gates of fire' and Bell pleads with poetic conviction for a stark reappraisal of the world we're creating for ourselves.

Bennett, Michael J.

The Battle of Bosworth. 1985. 4v.

Richard III, king of England, lost his life and the Plantagenet line came to an end. But what do we really know of the battle which became known as Bosworth Field? How do we separate fact from legend? The author provides an authoritative reconstruction of the battle: the background of war and the politics in the thirty years before Bosworth, beginning with the outbreak of the Wars of the Roses.

Bishop, Patrick.

Fighter boys: saving Britain 1940. 2004. 6v.

The Battle of Britain, fought in the skies over Britain during the sweltering summer of 1940, was one of the most crucial battles ever fought: without the Luftwaffe's control of the skies it was unlikely that Nazi Germany would mount an invasion across the Channel. The pressure on the pilots, ground crew and their controllers was unimaginable. Patrick Bishop creates a new and surprising portrait of the Battle drawing on previously unseen source material and testimonies from survivors on both sides.

Blix, Hans.

Disarming Iraq. 2004. 4v. UK Loan only.

Hans Blix recounts the events leading up to the declaration of war on Iraq in March 2003, looking back to Saddam Hussein's long wrangle with the international community since the first Gulf War and forward to the implications for international security in the aftermath of the war just ended. In clear-eyed descriptions of his meetings with Blair, Bush, Chirac, Cheney, Condoleeza Rice, Colin Powell and Kofi Annan, he conveys the frustrations, the tensions, the pressure and the drama of the months leading up to the US/UK-led attack on Iraq. He also asks and answers key questions including: Could the war have been prevented? Was it inevitable? Does Iraq have weapons of mass destruction? Why couldn't the US and the UK secure the backing of the member states of the UN Security Council? And: What can be learnt from the Iraq war for the prevention of the spread and use of WMDs in the future?

Bonhoeffer, Dietrich.

Letters and papers from prison. 1967. 4v. UK Loan only.

The text compiles the personal correspondence and legal papers of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the German theologian imprisoned and executed for his part in a plot against Hitler.

Clayton, Tim.

Trafalgar: the men, the battle, the storm. 2004. 6v.

Having fought in the most confused and bloody naval conflict that any had known, English, American, Irish, Spanish and French seamen then had to endure a terrifying combination of weather and circumstances - the stuff of every mariner's nightmare. Intriguing characters abound: Geannette, wife of a Flemish 'main topman'; James Martin, a stalwart of the British lower deck; Dionisio Galiano, sailor, scientist and explorer of the New World, and many more. The demands of life at sea - and what this extraordinary mix of people had suffered and achieved in the turbulent years that led up to Trafalgar - make compelling reading.

Compton-Hall, Richard.

Submarine boats: the beginning of underwater warfare. 1983. 5v. UK Loan only.

This account of the early years of submarine development includes much new material on the lives of the forgotten pioneers. It tells of the more weird and wonderful inventions, and their even more colourful inventors, but concentrates on the greatest of them all - the brilliant Irish-American John Philip-Holland, who took submarine development out of the hands of lunatics and visionaries and turned it into a deadly weapon of war.

Downing, Taylor and Millman, Maggie.

Civil war. 1991. 4v.

Originally published to accompany a Channel Four series, this book recreates the experience of war during the tumultuous years of the 1640s. It provides an insight into a decade when, at times, one man in every ten was under arms and when father could be at war with son. This new edition includes a gazetteer.

Fall, Bernard B.

Hell in a very small place: the siege of Dien Bien Phu. 1967. 11v. UK Loan only.

The Battle of Dien Bien Phu marked the end of French attempts to regain control of Indo-China. The Viet-Minh, who are now the holders of power in communist North Vietnam, laid siege to the fortress of Den Bien Phu. They came away as the only guerrilla force to have defeated a major power on the battlefield. In this book Dr FAll gives a comprehensive and objective account of the battle. He was given access to France's still-secret military files on the battle, and, in addition, he went to both South and North Vietnam, to France, and to post independence Algeria, to interview participants of many nationalities and political persuasions.

Featherstone, Donald Frederick.

The bowmen of England: the story of the English longbow. 1967. 4v. UK Loan only.

The English bowman was the professional fighting man who during the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries dominated Europe. He was the most significant single factor that revolutionized all the mediaeval concepts and old traditions of warfare. This study is a reconstruction in human terms of an age of courage, vitality and endurance.

Farwell, Byron.

The great Boer War. 1977. 10v. UK Loan only.

A definitive history of the great conflict that raged from 1899 to 1902 between the British Empire, at its peak of power and arrogance, and a tiny nation, stubbornly fighting to maintain its independence.

Gardner, Frank.

Blood and sand: love, death and survival in an age of global terror. 2006. Coming Soon.

On 6 June 2004, Frank Gardner and cameraman Simon Cumbers were in a quiet suburb of Riyadh, filming a piece on Al-Qaeda when they were confronted by Islamist gunmen. Simon was killed instantly. Frank was brought down by a shot in the shoulder, then the leg and four bullets at point blank range. This story follows how he survived what should have been death. Unsuitable for family reading.

Gelhorn, Martha.

The face of war. 1986. 5v.

The author, a passionate anti-Fascist and anti-Nazi covered the civil war in Spain, as well as World War II in France, Italy and Germany. The hallmark of the reporter is her quality of "heart." First published in 1959 and subsequently expanded and revised, the book is a collection of articles written as early as 1937 and as recently as 1985

Gilbert, Martin.

First World War. 1984. 21v.

If almost every war is worse than expected, none was more so than World War I. Instead of lasting a few months, its four years brought loss of life and enormous suffering millions. It caused the collapse of empires and redrew the map of Europe for ever. Illusions on all sides - military, political and cultural were shattered. This book charts the ever-growing development and horror of the war - not only the great battles on the Eastern and Western Fronts but the war at sea, in the air and the effects of the war far from the frontline. Throughout, the book records the courage and heroism of individual soldiers and civilians of many nations in this account of the Great War. A definitive history of the First World War, in which the European empires were ravaged and some destroyed. New states arose; mutiny and revolution rose from the trenches and nine million soldiers were killed.

Goldensohn, Leon.

The Nuremberg interviews. 2004. 8v. UK Loan only.

In 1946, with the Nuremberg trials underway, Leon Goldensohn, a U.S. army psychiatrist, was given the task of interviewing the two dozen German leaders who were under indictment, as well as many of the defence and prosecution witnesses. The conversations were then left largely unexamined for more than fifty years. Now, Robert Gellately - one of the premier historians of Nazi Germany - has transcribed, edited, and annotated thirty-three of the interviews, and makes them available to the public for the first time in this volume. Here are interviews with some of the highest-ranking Nazi officials in the Nuremberg jails, including Hans Frank, Hermann Goering, Ernest Kaltenbrunner, and Joachim von Ribbentrop. Here too are interviews with lesser-known officials who were, nonetheless, essential to the workings of the Third Reich. Goldensohn was a particularly astute interviewer, his training as a psychiatrist leading him to probe the motives, the rationales, and the skewing of morality that allowed these men to enact an unfathomable evil. Often shockingly candid, these interviews are deeply disturbing in their illumination of an ideology gone mad.

Granfield, Linda.

Brass buttons and silver horseshoes: stories from Canada's British war brides. 2002. 2v. UK Loan only.

This book tells the story of Canada's war brides. 48,000 young women met and married Canadian servicemen in Europe during World War II. Nothing could have prepared them for their experience in this new land. Some regretted their hasty love affairs and others enjoyed more than 50 years of happy marriage.

Gurney, Jason.

Crusade in Spain. 1974. 2v.

The author, who died in 1973, was a sculptor living and working in Chelsea when the Spanish Civil War broke out in 1936. He answered the call to join the International Brigade, and within a couple of months, after a brief period of training with the British Battalion, was thrown straight into the front line at Jarama when an attempt to contain Franco's advance was completely and disastrously overwhelmed. The Battalion was devastated and two-thirds of their number killed on the first day. Although Gurney was in Spain for only nine months before being invalided home (his right hand was so badly shattered that he was never able again to work as a sculptor), his experiences - inadequate training, squalid billets, useless weapons, incompetent leadership - bear witness to a disillusioning crusade. His own politic views had been formed in the radical climate of Chelsea's bohemia; in Spain, he learned that vague idealism had no part to play.

Hanrahan, Brian.

I counted them all out and I counted them all back. 1982. 2v. UK Loan only.

Millions listened enthralled to the dispatches from the two BBC correspondents with the task force as they kept the world informed about the battle for the Falklands. Many listeners sought a more permanent record of these reports which have now been collected together in this book to provide a concise account of the ten weeks of war. All the major events are brought vividly alive as they happened.

Harman, Nicholas.

Dunkirk: the necessary myth. 1980. 5v. UK Loan only.

The author scrutinises the Dunkirk affair at all its levels. He sees it through the eyes of Cabinet ministers and military commanders; from the naval angle and from the viewpoint of those who manned the 'little ships'; and he has researched a wealth of revealing anecdote about the confused, exhausted soldiers who made the long retreat to the port, and who, on arrival in Britain, were welcomed as if they had been conquerors.

Hastings, Max.

Nemesis: the battle for Japan, 1944-45. 2007. Coming soon.

The battle for Japan that ended many months after the battle for Europe involved enormous naval, military and air operations from the borders of India to the most distant regions of China. This account explores not just the global strategic objectives of the USA, Japan and Britain but also the first-hand experiences of the airmen, sailors and soldiers of all the countries who participated in the Far East and the war in the Pacific.

Hastings, Max.

The battle for the Falklands. 1983. 6v.

Max Hastings was with the war from the sailing of the task force to the surrender of Port Stanley; Simon Jenkins followed the political and diplomatic twists in London and Washington. Together they give a comprehensive account of this "War that should not have happened".

Hastings, Max.

The Korean war. 1979. 4v. UK Loan only.

No review available.

Henshaw, Alex.

Sigh for a Merlin: testing the Spitfire. 1987. 14v. UK Loan only.

Although written first, this is a sequel to 'The flight of the Mew Gull'. Alex Henshaw, after his success in races and record flights in the 1930's asked for something useful to do in 1939, and fairly soon found himself assisting the chief test pilot at the vast Castle Bromwich factory where Spitfires were built for 6 years, and where he and his fellows flew over 37,000 flights in nearly 13,000 aircraft, often in unspeakable conditions.

Hibbert, Christopher.

The destruction of Lord Raglan: a tragedy of the Crimean War, 1854-55. 1961. 8v. UK Loan only.

In March 1854 England declared war on Russia. A few weeks later, "the finest army that had ever left these shores sailed from Portsmouth, gloriously clothed, splendidly confident and was destroyed. The author has consulted a mass of family and official papers, diaries of this terrible war and of the British Commander-in-Chief, Lord Raglan.

Holland, James.

Twenty-one: coming of age in the Second World War. 2006. 6v.

This book recounts the real-life stories of twenty-one men and women from around the world who came of age in the Second World War.

Holland, Tom.

Persian fire: the first world empire, battle for the West. 2005. 10v. UK Loan only. Coming soon.

The text dramatises the conflict 2500 years ago between the global superpower Persia, and the two 'terrorist' Greek states Athens and Sparta. The book also examines the whole extraordinary panorama of East and West. From the temple priests of Babylon to the Spartan secret police; from the Persian love of ducks and gardens to the Athenian relish for prostitutes; from Darius, murderer, usurper and the supreme political genius in the history of the Middle East, to Themistocles, the man who saved the West.

Holmes, Richard.

Tommy: the British soldier on the Western Front, 1914-1918. 2004. 9v.

The first history of the First World War to put the British soldier who fought in the trenches, centre-stage. By using completely unseen letters, diaries, memoirs and poetry of 1914-1918 to complete his picture of the generation that fought and died in the mud of Flanders during the First World War, the life and character of Sgt Tommy Atkins is cast. It tells the real story of trench warfare, the strength and fallibility of the human spirit, and the individuals behind an epic event.

Horne, Alastair.

The fall of Paris: the siege and the Commune, 1870-1 1965. 11v. UK Loan only.

A portrayal of the fall and siege of Paris begins with the military operations from the beginning of the Siege in September, 1870, to the last resistance of the Commune during May Week, 1871.

Jones, R.V.

Most secret war. 1978. 8v.

This is an account of the author's work in anticipating the German applications of science to warfare so that we could counter their new weapons before they were used. Much of his work had to do with radio navigation, as in the battle of the beams, with radar, in the Allied bomber offensive, and in the preparations for D-Day and in the war at sea. He was also in charge of our intelligence against the V-1 and the V-2 retaliation weapons and against German nuclear developments. In all these fields he was in contact with many of those directing the conduct of the war, from Churchill downwards.

Karnow, Stanley.

Vietnam: a history. 1983. 11v.

Panoramic history of war and struggle in Vietnam. From the early Chinese and French colonisations, to American involvement, and the final collapse of the South Vietnamese regime in 1975.

Keegan, John.

Soldiers: a history of men in battle. 1985. 6v. UK Loan only.

Originally devised to accompany a television series of the same name, 'Soldiers' stands as a book in its own right. The authors discuss how warfare has been and is conducted, describing each arm of warfare and how these arms have developed down the ages.

Kemp, Ross.

Gangs. 2007. Coming soon.

Across the world, millions of people are members of street gangs. In groups, they fight, stab, rob, rape and murder anyone who isn't one of their own. And when rival gangs meet - what you get is warfare. Ross Kemp infiltrates these groups of criminals to discover who they are, what makes them tick and what the law is doing to curb their criminal activity. Ross Kemp manages to get close to the world's most violent street gangs: he's streetwise enough to earn their trust and get them to confide their innermost secrets. It's a wild ride - and not for the faint hearted.

Kennedy, Ludovic.

Pursuit: the chase and sinking of the Bismarck. 1974. 3v.

In May 1941 the German battleship "Bismarck" escaped into the Atlantic, posing a deadly threat to the convoys that were keeping Britain alive. She had to be sunk. The search for and destruction of the most formidable fighting ship afloat, is one of the great sea sagas of all time.

Kershaw, Ian.

Making friends with Hitler: Lord Londonderry, the Britain's road to war. 2004. 12v. UK Loan only.

This text examines Britain's ambiguous relations with Germany before the Second World War. The author addresses this issue, by focusing on the figure of Lord Londonderry: grandee, patriot, cousin of Churchill and the government minister responsible for the RAF at a crucial point in its existence. Londonderry's reaction to the rise of Hitler - to pursue friendship with the Nazis at all costs - raises disturbing questions about Britain's role in the 1930s and the level of support for the Third Reich.

La Billiere, Peter.

Storm command: a personal account of the Gulf War. 1992. 9v.

Desert Storm was a war fought with weapons of sophistication beyond anything previously seen in battle against a ruthless dictator; a conflict waged with an unparalleled sense of international common purpose. This is a fascinating chronicle of war from the allied nerve centre, and the portrait of an exceptional commander in action.

Lawrence, T.E.

Seven pillars of wisdom: a triumph of the Arab revolt in the Great War. 1935. 13v. UK Loan only.

This classic autobiography features an account of the Arab revolt against the Turks during World War 1, encompassing gross acts of cruelty and revenge, through which Lawrence weaves rich character portraits, philosophical observations and insights into his own complex personality.

Lawrence, John.

When the fighting is over: a personal story of the battle for Tumbledown Mountain and its aftermath. 1998. 5v.

Robert Lawrence's experiences in the Falklands War and after were the subject of the BBC film drama "Tumbledown". "When the fighting is over" is Robert's own story - how he strove to gain a place in the highly respected Scots Guards; his role in the war itself; his personal battle to overcome his injuries, and the effect that his experiences have had on his whole outlook on life.

LeBor, Adam.

Milosevic: a biography. 2002. 10v.

This biography of Slobodan Milosevic offers an account of a man who started wars, whose rhetoric whipped up Serb nationalism to a frenzy of 'ethnic cleansing' and yet who retained for a decade the ability to wrap the 'international community' round his little finger.

MacIntyre, Ben.

Agent Zigzag: the true wartime story of Eddie Chapman: lover, betrayer, hero, spy. 2007. Coming soon.

On a chill December night in 1942, a Nazi parachutist landed in a Cambridgeshire field. His mission: to sabotage the British war effort. His German masters called him Fritz, or Fritzchen. The British police knew him as Eddie Chapman. Within weeks Chapman was in the hands of MI5 and operating as Agent Zigzag. Here is his story, weaved together through diaries, letters, photographs and memories.

MacIntyre, Ben.

A foreign field: a true story of love and betrayal in the Great War. 2002. 6v.

In August 1914 four British soldiers find themselves trapped behind enemy lines at the height of the fighting on the Western front. They find shelter in the tiny French village of Villeret. First clothed and protected by the villagers, the men are then betrayed to the Germans.

McCarthy, Rory.

Nobody told us we are defeated: stories from the new Iraq. 2006. 6v.

There are many books about the war in Iraq, but few that take us into the homes, workplaces, council meetings and mosques of the citizens living through the conflict. From the survivor of one of Saddam's mass graves to the insurgents of Najaf, McCarthy shows us the men and women living the dilemmas of Iraq from day to day, and making crucial decisions about where they stand.

MacDonald, Lyn.

Somme. 1983. 9v. UK Loan only.

Somme, July 1916. The result of prodigious research and the collection of original material full of little-known episodes and telling details, 'Somme' is a human chronicle of life as well as death, a vivid blend of military history and the immediacy of personal recollection.

McNab, Andy.

Bravo two zero. 1993. 8v.

On the night of 22 January 1991, at a remote airfield in Saudi Arabia, under cover of darkness and in conditions of utmost secrecy, 8 members of the SAS regiment boarded a helicopter to infiltrate deep behind enemy lines. They were to sever the underground communication link between Baghdad and north east Iraq and to destroy Scud launchers before Israel was provoked into entering the war. Their call sign was Bravo Two Zero. Contains violence.

Merridale, Catherine.

Night of stone: death and memory in Russia. 2001. 11v. UK Loan only.

The text examines how people of the former Soviet Union coped with more unnecessary death than any other country during the twentieth century. Two World Wars, civil war, state created famines and purges are the most significant chapter in an unrelenting epic of destruction. The way in which Russians coped with loss and bereavement is a central theme. Millions of Russians were forbidden to mourn their loved ones who died as enemies of the people. This book documents the memories of those left behind and looks at this theme in light of the evolvement of the modern Russian Empire.

Meyer, Christopher.

DC confidential: the controversial memoirs of Britain's ambassador at the time of 9/11 and the Iraq War. 2005. 7v.

Christopher Meyer was Ambassador to the United States from 1997 to 2003, during which time he was an eyewitness to and participant in the events following 9/11 and the preparations for the Iraq war. Meyer presents an account of what he saw, what he heard and how he felt. The cast list of characters that feature here includes Margaret Thatcher, Bob Hope, the Clintons, Steven Spielberg, Condoleeza Rice, Alastair Campbell and Jack Straw. The book reveals close encounters with Tony Blair, Robin Cook and Peter Mandelson; KGB honey traps in Russia; a major row with Bill Clinton; inside stories on Number 10 and the Foreign Office; and of course life behind the scenes with Blair and George W. Bush.

Miller, John.

Friends and Romans: on the run in wartime Italy. 1987. 5v. UK Loan only.

Captain John Miller, British prisoner of war in Italy for over a year, jumped from a train, in 1943, to freedom - and into a profound personal experience which he has never forgotten. At first he was harboured in a remote mountain village and then by a family in Rome, sharing their desperately meagre rations. He evaded the German patrols and the Italian secret police by masquerading as a deaf-mute and member of the Fascist Youth.

Montgomery of Alamein, Bernard Law Montgomery, Viscount.

A history of warfare. 1968. 13v. UK Loan only.

Throughout his career Field-Marshal Montgomery has studied military history, and he has ensured that his book is soundly based on historical findings. He has then brought to bear on the subject the judgement and interpretation of a great master of war. He shows the political factors in war, indicating when these become paramount, and stresses that the true object must be a secure and lasting peace. He studies the development of strategy and tactics, showing how progress in the design and manufacture of weapons has influenced techniques since earliest times, and examines the methods of the great captains of the past. Finally, he considers the human factor in war, and the need for a commander to regard the lives of his men as precious, not to be risked without good cause.

Mortimer, Gavin.

Stirling's men: the inside story of the SAS in World War II. 2004. 6v.

A riveting history book that reads like a novel, Stirling's men investigates the story of the SAS from its creation by David Stirling to the last battles of World War II. This is the first account of the SAS to be officially supported by the veterans and based on their unique first-hand testimony. Gavin Mortimer weaves their stories together to produce a fabulous page-turning narrative that will capture the imagination.

O'Rourke, P. J.

Peace kills. 2004. 3v.

The author first travels to Kosovo, where he meets KLA veterans, Albanian refugees and peacekeepers. He then tackles the Middle East, a region he finds as confusing as the algebra they invented. He visits Egypt, where he witnesses citizens enjoying their newfound freedoms - namely, to shop, to eat and to sit around a lot. Following 11 September, the author examines the far reaching changes in the US, from the absurd hassles of airport security; to the dangers of anthrax. The book also examines the fighting in Afghanistan, and the beginning and the end of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Omaar, Rageh.

Revolution day: the human story of the battle for Iraq. 2003. 4v.

Throughout the war in Iraq millions of people tuned to Rageh Omaar's BBC reports from Baghdad. His unique and haunting narrative captures the moment when twenty-five agonising years came to an end and a country was changed for ever: Writing from the heart of Baghdad, Omaar follows the war from its beginning to its aftermath: he describes the atmosphere among the people on the night the first bombs hit; the horror they felt as they watched their city burn; the anarchy and unforgiving heat that overwhelmed the country in the battle's wake. Beautifully written and almost unbearable in its detail, this is a powerful account of a city and its people under siege, and of a conflict at the very centre of our world.

Partridge, Frances.

A pacifist's war. 1978. 4v. UK Loan only.

At the outset of the Second World War Ralph and Frances Partridge were both convinced pacifists - Ralph as a result of serving as an infantry officer all through the First War, and Frances because she had come to this conclusion in her school-days. These extracts from Mrs. Partridge's war diary present an unsparingly honest picture of their life at Ham Spray, Wiltshire, and will make absorbing reading both for those who lived through the war and others too young to know what it was like. The diary of a thinking woman in wartime.

Pax, Salam.

The Baghdad blog. 2003. 3v. UK Loan only.

Salam Pax's internet diary, the famous Baghdad Blog, is like no other account of the war in Iraq. This 29 year old Iraqi found a worldwide audience of millions who logged onto his website each day to find out what was really going on as the invasion loomed and his country spiralled into chaos.

Phillips, Johnathan.

The Fourth Crusade and the sack of Constantinople. 2004. 9v.

In April 1204, the armies of Western Christendom wrote another bloodstained chapter in the history of holy war. Two years earlier, aflame with religious zeal, the Fourth Crusade set out to free Jerusalem from the grip of Islam. But after a dramatic series of events, the crusaders turned their weapons against the Christian city of Constantinople, the heart of the Byzantine Empire. The crusaders spared no one in their savagery, murdering young and old and even today the violence and brutality of the Western knights provokes deep ill-feeling towards the Catholic Church.

Pollack, Martin and Hobson, Will.

The dead man in the bunker: discovering my father. 2006. 4v.

Gerhard Bast was found shot in an abandoned bunker in northern Italy close to the Austrian frontier in April, 1947. Martin Pollack, his son, was then three and has no memories of his father. In attempting to piece together his father's life, Pollack assembles the memories of family and friends. Pollack digs deeply into the archives and travels to the places important in the history of the Bast family and in his father's Nazi career.

Porch, Douglas.

The French Foreign Legion: a complete history. 1991. 28v.

This book looks beyond the myths that surround the French Foreign Legion, and analyzes its often outstanding performance throughout history, as well as looking at its special problems in recruitment, discipline and morale. From inauspicious beginnings to its present status as a respected metropolitan force, Douglas Porch describes the Legion's battles all over the world.

Preston, Paul.

The Spanish Civil War, 1936-39. 1986. 4v.

No war in modern times has engaged the emotions of both intellectuals and ordinary people in the way that the Spanish Civil War did in 1936. This book reconstructs the struggles of the war as well as discussing the wider implications of the revolution in the Republican zone, the emergence of a brutal dictatorship on the nationalist side and the extent to which it was a dress rehearsal for the Second World War.

Regan, Geoffrey.

More military blunders. 2004. 4v.

From ancient times military history has been marked as much by misjudgements and incompetence as by gallantry and glory. Such blunders have sometimes ended in tragedy, sometimes in farce - and sometimes they have ended in triumph, despite all the odds. In this fascinating and entertaining collection, author Geoffrey Regan not only recounts some of the staggering stories, but also highlights the kinds of difficulties that can lead to military disaster. His anecdotes encompass every aspect of warfare from friendly fire to meddling politicians and lack of cooperation.

Ricks, Thomas E.

Fiasco: the American military adventure in Iraq. 2006. Coming soon.

An extraordinary new insight into the plight of ordinary soldiers doing nightmarish jobs, and the real nature of the fighting in Iraq.

Ritter, Scott.

War on Iraq: what team Bush doesn't want you to know. 2002. 1v.

The definitive debunking of the arguments for a war on Iraq: The former weapons inspector, who is currently a major voice throughout the international media, knows from the inside what the risks really are, both of not going to war and going to war.

Roberts, Andrew.

What might have been: leading historians on twelve 'what ifs' of history. 2004. 4v.

Throughout history, great and terrible events have often hinged upon sheer luck. Tiny changes to great enterprises can produce profoundly different results. In this text leading historians and biographers examine what might have happened if major world events had gone differently.

Rogers, Paul.

A war on terror: Afghanistan and after. 2004. 3v.

Paul Rogers is one of the world's leading security experts. This is his radical assessment of Bush's new policy, the way it has affected world security and the grave implications that it holds for future peace, not only in the Middle East but throughout the world. Moving from the war in Afghanistan and its aftermath to the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, the continuing development of al-Qaida and its associates through to the war on Iraq, Rogers presents a uniquely cogent analysis of these rapid and traumatic events.

Rose, Michael.

Fighting for peace: Bosnia 1994. 1998. 9v. UK Loan only.

Known for his role as a commander in the Falklands war, and for directing operations at the Iranian Embassy siege, General Sir Michael Rose tells the story of his role as Commander of the UN Protection Force in Bosnia in 1994. Known for his role as a commander in the Falklands war, and for directing operations at the Iranian Embassy siege, General Sir Michael Rose tells the story of his role as Commander of the UN Protection Force in Bosnia in 1994.

Royale, Trevor.

The best years of their lives: the National Service experience 1945-63. 1986. 8v.

Memories of National Service experiences unite some two million individuals who, between 1945 and 1963, were forced to abandon their civilian existences and spend up to two years serving as soldiers, sailors and airmen. Trevor Royle has interviewed scores of ex-National Servicemen from all over the country and welded their impressions, their emotions and their anecdotes into a fascinating social history.

Seierstad, Åsne.

A hundred and one days: a Baghdad journal. 2004. 6v.

The author details the frustrations and dangers journalists face to uncover the truth behind all-pervasive propaganda in a city at war. She also offers a unique portrait of Baghdad and its people, trying to go about their daily business under the constant threat of attack.

Simpson, John.

The wars against Saddam: taking the hard road to Baghdad. 2004. 11v. UK Loan only. Coming soon.

John Simpson has spent more than twenty years reporting from Saddam Hussein's Iraq, most recently in defiance of the Iraqi authorities, who barred him after the Gulf War of 1990-1. This is his analysis of the West's troubled relationship with the country. He examines the period leading up to the first Gulf War, the increasing tyranny of Saddam's regime in the years that followed, and the reality of his weapons programme.

Smith, Eric David.

Britain's Brigade of Gurkhas: the 2nd K.E.O. Gurkha Rifles, the 6th Q.E.O. Gurkha Rifles, the 7th D.E.O. Gurkha Rifles and the 10th P.M.O. Gurkha Rifles. 1973. 4v. UK Loan only.

In 1814 the British Army fought a war against one of the toughest enemies it has ever encountered: the Gurkhas. Since that year, the Gurkhas have been "on our side" in every war fought by Great Britain, not least in the recent Falklands conflict. This story of the four Gurka regiments, now known as Britain's Brigade of Gurkhas, is one of gallantry in battle, of unswerving loyalty and great fortitude.

Taylor, Irene and Taylor, Alan.

The secret annexe: the world's greatest war diarists: an anthology. 2004. 15v. UK Loan only.

Arranged as a dairy around a calendar year, this book tells many individual stories from many wars down the ages, with several compelling entries for each day of the year. The diarists come from every walk of life; from faceless foot-soldiers to those charged with orchestrating battle, from the Home Front to the Holocaust, from famous writers, political leaders and fighting men and women to ordinary working people enveloped by events over which they have little influence.

Tinker, David.

A message from the Falklands: the life and gallant death of David Tinker: from his letters and poems. 1982. 4v. UK Loan only.

Lieutenant Tinker was killed in the Falklands action. This collection of his letters home begins before his Falklands service days, but it is his clear perception of what is happening and how his views on war are changing that gives the book its relevance - and its poignancy.

Van Endem, Richard and Humphries, Steve.

Veterans: the last survivors of the Great War. 1998. 4v.

Veterans of the First World War give personal testimony, providing a final insight into the war which has shaped this century. The stories, moving and heartbreaking, funny and perceptive, tell of how a new volunteer army went to war in 1914 to fight at the battles of Loos, the Somme and Passchendaele. Veterans of the First World War give personal testimony, providing a final insight into the war which has shaped this century. The stories, moving and heartbreaking, funny and perceptive, tell of how a new volunteer army went to war in 1914 to fight at the battles of Loos, the Somme and Passchendaele.

Vidal, Gore.

Perpetual war for perpetual peace: how we got to be so hated, causes of conflict in the last empire. 2002. 2v.

Essays question the consensus view of the causes behind the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks and the bombing of the Oklahoma City federal building, and examine the erosion of American civil liberties as a result of the war on terrorism.

Webster, Donovan.

The Burma road: the epic story of the china-Burma-India theatre in World War II. 2003. 6v.

Chronicles the effort by Chinese labourers to build a seven-hundred-mile road through the jungle to Rangoon, Burma, to keep the Chinese supplied throughout the war with Japan; and by British and American troops to keep it open.

Weintraub, Stanley.

Silent night: the remarkable Christmas truce of 1914. 2002. 3v.

Bringing together one of the most unlikely and touching events of World War I, this book tells the story of Christmas Eve 1914 when men on both sides left their trenches, laid down their arms and joined a spontaneous celebration with their new friends, the enemy.

Werner, Herbert A.

Iron coffins: a U-boat commander's war, 1939-1945. 1999. 6v.

Herbert Werner was one of the few U-boat commanders whose skill, daring and incredible luck saw him safely through to the end of the war. His is an epic and chilling description of the fearful havoc wrought by one small U-boat on the Atlantic convoys. His graphic account of war waged from beneath the sea, of horror and cold, cruel death is dedicated to the seamen of all nations who died in the Battle of the Atlantic.

Weston, Simon.

Walking tall. 1989. 5v.

Simon Weston is familiar to millions as the Welsh Guardsman who suffered horrific burns as a result of the attack on the "Sir Galahad" during the 1982 Falklands War. The subject of two major BBC television documentaries, Simon now gives his own account of his experiences, from his childhood in the small Welsh village of Nelson, to the dreadful events on the "Sir Galahad" and his subsequent struggle to find peace and happiness.

Williams, Eric.

The wooden horse. 1949. 4v.

An exciting account of one of the most ingenious and daring escapes from a German prison-camp during the last war.

Winfield, Pamela.

Sentimental journey: the story of the GI brides. 1984. 3v.

No review available.

Zuehlke, Mark.

Juno Beach: Canada's D-Day victory, June 6, 1944. 2004. 6v. UK Loan only.

On June 6, 1944, the greatest armada in history stood off Normandy and the largest amphibious invasion, ever, began, as 107,000 men aboard 6,000 ships attacked the French coast. Of the 18,000 Canadians involved in storming Juno Beach, one out of every six either died or was wounded, yet they were the only Allied troops to meet their objectives. Drawing on personal diaries as well as military records, the author depicts Canada's pivotal contribution to the most critical Allied battle of World War II.

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